Ukraine 4

[sneakypete]

Putin lets slip that Russia has lost 54 tanks in a week

President claims Ukraine suffered ‘catastrophic’ losses during counter-offensive and teases idea of a second assault on Kyiv

By Nataliya Vasilyeva,
RUSSIA CORRESPONDENT, IN ISTANBUL
13 June 2023

Vladimir Putin has said his forces lost 54 tanks in under two weeks of the Ukrainian counter-offensive in a rare admission of battlefield casualties.

He refused to reveal more details but insisted the losses were much lower than Ukraine’s, claiming Kyiv had suffered “catastrophic” defeats, including swathes of Western-donated arms.

 

@Kamaji

He may even believe that himself. Let's face it,historically,you do NOT want to  be the General that has to tell the Ultimate Leader that he/you are losing because in addition to your wife becoming  a widow,she and the children  will be living in a labor camp,IF they are allowed to live at all.

[Timber Rattler]

Watch a Russian Soldier Surrender to a Ukrainian Drone in Bakhmut | WSJ


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2W8yRa9XuA

[Timber Rattler]

Hardball.

GOP senator blocks arms sale to Hungary for stalling Sweden’s NATO bid

Sen. James E. Risch, the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, is halting a $735 million U.S. arms sale to Hungary as punishment for the country’s refusal to approve NATO membership for Sweden, a rare move aimed at pressuring Budapest into greenlighting the military alliance’s expansion ahead of a major summit next month.

In a statement to The Washington Post, Risch (Idaho) said Hungary must allow Sweden into NATO if it wants the arms package, which includes 24 HIMARS rocket launcher batteries, and more than 100 rockets and pods along with associated parts and support.

The decision to slam the brakes on new arms sales to Budapest demonstrates the growing anger toward Hungary by NATO backers like Risch, who rarely holds up arms sales to countries in any part of the world.

“For some time now, I have directly expressed my concerns to the Hungarian government regarding its refusal to move forward a vote for Sweden to join NATO,” he said.

“The fact that it is now June and still not done, I decided that the sale of new U.S. military equipment to Hungary will be on hold,” he added.

[DB]

Anyone know why Hungary doesn't want Sweden to join NATO?

[bigheadfred]

Anyone know why Hungary doesn't want Sweden to join NATO?

@DB

Hungary says Sweden has had a hostile attitude to Budapest for years. It is angry about Swedish criticism of Prime Minister Viktor Orban over the perceived erosion of rule of law. Orban denies such erosion. Unlike Turkey, Hungary does not have a list of demands, but says grievances need to be addressed before it can ratify Sweden's accession to NATO.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/after-finland-joins-nato-why-is-turkey-making-sweden-wait-2023-04-04/

[DB]

@DB

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/after-finland-joins-nato-why-is-turkey-making-sweden-wait-2023-04-04/

Thank you.

[kevindavis007]

Biden rushes replacement armored vehicles to Ukraine after battlefield losses

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/13/biden-armored-vehicles-ukraine-00101763

EXCERPT

Again, I rather have us do this now than face a possible war with Russia and China combined.  When this is all said and done, it will take years for Russia to rebuild its military.  Long term it is good for us that we don't have to worry about Russia and focus on China.

[Kamaji]

Again, I rather have us do this now than face a possible war with Russia and China combined.  When this is all said and done, it will take years for Russia to rebuild its military.  Long term it is good for us that we don't have to worry about Russia and focus on China.

[Timber Rattler]

Again, I rather have us do this now than face a possible war with Russia and China combined.  When this is all said and done, it will take years for Russia to rebuild its military.  Long term it is good for us that we don't have to worry about Russia and focus on China.

Precisely!

[Hoodat]

Biden rushes replacement armored vehicles to Ukraine after battlefield losses

Rushes?  Ukraine is still waiting for the M1s that Biden promised six months ago.

[Hoodat]

Looks like they're identifying and hitting the Russian artillery now...

https://twitter.com/i/status/1668927873900576772

Artillery kills have been through the roof.  Around 350 in the last two weeks.

[mystery-ak]

Jack Montgomery
News
15 Percent of U.S.-Made Bradleys Already Destroyed in Ukraine.

Almost 15 percent of the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) sent to Ukraine by Joe Biden’s government have been destroyed, according to open-source intelligence analysts.

Oryx, a Netherlands-based operation which has been tracking materiel losses on both sides of the conflict through visual confirmation, puts the number of destroyed Bradleys at 16, per CNN.

The news comes as Zelensky has officially confirmed his forces have commenced major counter-offensive operations. Friendly news outlets are so far reporting only “small” gains, however, with four villages in the Donetsk region believed to have been captured as of the time of writing.

In addition to the American-made Bradleys, a number of European-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks also appear to have been lost.

https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/06/12/15-percent-of-u-s-made-bradleys-already-destroyed-in-ukraine/

[Kamaji]

Jack Montgomery
News
15 Percent of U.S.-Made Bradleys Already Destroyed in Ukraine.

Almost 15 percent of the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) sent to Ukraine by Joe Biden’s government have been destroyed, according to open-source intelligence analysts.

Oryx, a Netherlands-based operation which has been tracking materiel losses on both sides of the conflict through visual confirmation, puts the number of destroyed Bradleys at 16, per CNN.

The news comes as Zelensky has officially confirmed his forces have commenced major counter-offensive operations. Friendly news outlets are so far reporting only “small” gains, however, with four villages in the Donetsk region believed to have been captured as of the time of writing.

In addition to the American-made Bradleys, a number of European-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks also appear to have been lost.

https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/06/12/15-percent-of-u-s-made-bradleys-already-destroyed-in-ukraine/

Let's put that into proper perspective:  85% of the Bradleys the U.S. sent to Ukraine have survived first contact with a dug in enemy as Ukraine attempts to push Russia out of Ukraine.

That's not a bad result, in my book.  Attrition of assets, including vehicles, when used in offense is expected.

[Timber Rattler]

Yeah, what were the Ukrainians supposed to do with them, just park them in Kyiv square and keep them on display?

[sneakypete]

Let's put that into proper perspective:  85% of the Bradleys the U.S. sent to Ukraine have survived first contact with a dug in enemy as Ukraine attempts to push Russia out of Ukraine.

That's not a bad result, in my book.  Attrition of assets, including vehicles, when used in offense is expected.

@Kamaji

In 100 percent agreement.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Most ifvs and apcs have thinner armor than tanks. They basically dally stop small medium arms fire and shrapnel only.

[Hoodat]

15 Percent of U.S.-Made Bradleys Already Destroyed in Ukraine.

Oryx documents 262 BMP-3s destroyed on the Russian side.  Bradley's are inferior to BMP-3s.

[kevindavis007]

The Russians may have to cut down on smoking..

https://twitter.com/officejjsmart/status/1669129181836320768

[kevindavis007]

Russians Furious After Ukraine HIMARS Strike ‘Kills 100 Troops Waiting for Commander’s Speech’
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/18292


Also, there is a rumor that it was Prigozhin that tipped Ukraine.

[PeteS in CA]

Oryx documents 262 BMP-3s destroyed on the Russian side.  Bradley's are inferior to BMP-3s.

Most ifvs and apcs have thinner armor than tanks. They basically dally stop small medium arms fire and shrapnel only.

IFVs, APCs, etc. are designed to bring infantry squads into a battle zone quickly and in relative safety (from small arms and machine guns).While they are armed for self-defense and clearing some resistance for the embarked infantry, they are not intended for a head-to-head duel with another IFV or a tank, though, obviously that can happen (IIRC, the Bradley has TOW missiles for such meet-ups).

[PeteS in CA]

The Russians may have to cut down on smoking..
...

Chelyabinsk is about a thousand mile east of Moscow. While this sabotage could have some effect on orcish logistics, being a a main rail line from Siberia, it's basically anti-Putin sabotage.

[Kamaji]

Chelyabinsk is about a thousand mile east of Moscow. While this sabotage could have some effect on orcish logistics, being a a main rail line from Siberia, it's basically anti-Putin sabotage.

Which in itself is another good sign.

[PeteS in CA]

Russians Furious After Ukraine HIMARS Strike ‘Kills 100 Troops Waiting for Commander’s Speech’
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/18292


Also, there is a rumor that it was Prigozhin that tipped Ukraine.

Kreminna is in Orc-occupied Ukrainian territory (Luhansk Oblast, north of Bakhmut) and fairly near the front. This, if the reports are correct, was What were you thinking?!!-grade, on the orcs' part.

[kevindavis007]

Which in itself is another good sign.

If Putin is somehow removed, I just hope the new guy isn't like him. 

[Kamaji]

Russia admits British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles are a nightmare for Putin's forces and harder to deal with than US HIMARS

Close Putin ally Yevgeny Balitsky, Moscow-appointed head of the occupied Zaporizhzhia region in Ukraine, said the weapons are causing 'trouble'
His words confirm that the British missiles have been a game changer for Kyiv

By WILL STEWART and CHRIS JEWERS
15 June 2023

Russia has admitted that British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles are causing a major problem to Vladimir Putin's forces.

Yevgeny Balitsky, Moscow-appointed head of the occupied Zaporizhzhia region in Ukraine, said the weapons are causing 'trouble' and are even more problematic for the Kremlin's armies than the US-supplied HIMARS systems.

His words confirm the impression that the long-range Storm Shadow has been a game changer for the Ukrainians as Kyiv launches its counteroffensive.

*  *  *

Source:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12197545/Russia-admits-British-supplied-Storm-Shadow-missiles-nightmare-Putins-forces.html